A number of carriers or supports adapted for movement about the outer periphery of a pipe have been supplied in the art for carrying welding devices and like apparatuses around the pipe, particularly for use in making welds between pipe sections disposed in end-to-end abutment. Such devices have invariably been subject to unwanted movements in their travel about the pipe so that the weld quality and uniformity is adversely affected. This invention provides an apparatus adapted to travel about a pipe without peripheral slippage and with constant spacing from the outer surface of the pipe so that unwanted movements adversely affecting weld quality and appearance do not occur.